Joey Yeo: Opposition MP Low Has Valid Concerns

[sgnewsalte]

Kudos to Ms Joey Yeo for her letter to ST, particularly the point about PAP MPs lacking in understanding the real concerns raised, as well as giving thoughtless rebuttals to LTK for sake of political grandstanding.


http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum/Story/STIStory_334332.html

Opposition MP Low has valid concerns
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</td></tr></tbody></table>I REFER to the parliamentary exchanges between the People's Action Party (PAP) Members of Parliament and opposition MP Low Thia Khiang in yesterday's reports, 'Lively debate over Jobs Credit plan' and 'Is scheme to save jobs truly effective, asks Low'.

The rebuttals by the PAP MPs showed that they had failed to understand the nub of Mr Low's concern, which was whether the Jobs Credit scheme was truly effective.

I wish that subsequent questions by the PAP MPs, directed at the opposition, could have been more carefully thought through. The context of Mr Low's query was that the Government had, in the past, adopted policies which were tried and tested.

As Jobs Credit is new and requires huge monetary resources of some $4.9 billion, or a quarter of the entire Budget allocation this year, it is only natural to ask questions about its effectiveness.

In the midst of the current economic outlook, it would be better to place our resources on ongoing programmes that are effective in preventing companies from collapsing.

I am not advocating that we should not consider out-of-the-box answers. But I do not see the sustainability of the Jobs Credit programme.

As Mr Low has cautioned, the programme does not have strings attached.

Shouldn't there be a condition that companies benefiting from the scheme must not retrench their staff for at least six months?

Such a caveat will ensure that the programme will prevent retrenchments.

Joey Yeo

 

[Lestat]

Is this for real? The only reason I can think of why ST allows the publication of such article in these times is that it's written by their own IDIOTS. :p

 

[lonari]

idiots want to keep their jobs as well

 

[myfoot123]

Any ideas that came out from naive scholars who have not tasted war in private sector let alone understand the mind of businessmen. Job credit scheme is the most lousy instrument that other countries may not even want to risk wasting money. When demand is not there for a falling company, no point giving credit to employers to increase their production capacity. The money saved may not even be kept within Singapore economy but remitted overseas to save overseas counterpart.

At least if we give money directly to Singaporean employees or consumers, it can creates demand within the economy thus spur supplies and company can than create jobs from there.

Do you think the current situation makes employer market? I think it is consumer market instead. Those who have limited cash will either spend wisely or not spend at all.

 

[myfoot123]

Any ideas that came out from naive scholars who have not tasted war in private sector let alone understand the mind of businessmen. Job credit scheme is the most lousy instrument that other countries may not even want to risk wasting money. When demand for product is not there for a falling company, no point giving credit to employers to increase their production capacity. The money saved may not even be kept within Singapore economy but remitted overseas to save overseas counterpart.

At least if we give money directly to Singaporean employees or consumers, it can creates demand within the economy thus spur supplies and company can than create jobs from there.

Do you think the current situation makes employer market? I think it is consumer market instead. Those who have limited cash will either spend wisely or not spend at all.